Right to buy changes must be explained to those who will be affected – Assembly committee

07/07/2017

​The Welsh Government must ensure that council house and housing association tenants who will be affected by a proposed law to end their right to buy their properties understand what the changes will mean for them, according to a National Assembly for Wales committee.

“We think that it is vital that all tenants who will be affected by this development and those who support them receive clear, consistent information. This information must be provided proactively and available to everyone who will be affected.

“We want the Welsh Government to specify in the Bill exactly what information landlords will be required to provide to their tenants about the changes, and to ensure that it is produced in accessible formats that meets their needs.

“The abolition of the right to buy is a significant change in public policy, and the Welsh Government must take the lead in promoting understanding amongst the people who will be affected by this change. This means ensuring the right information is provided to tenants when they need it.

“We have been encouraged to see that many social landlords use a wide range of methods to communicate with their tenants and are willing to use innovative methods to communicate these proposed changes, however, the Welsh Government must ensure that this happens consistently across the country.”

The Committee supports the general principles of the Bill, and the report will inform the debate on the general principles in a meeting of the full Assembly.